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35 replies

Three boys with a dream!!!

CM Coach May1,000+ posts
I hope you take the time to read this. This is a very personal story dear to my heart. I almost did not post it for all to read because of that. But it is too special not to share to my HSBBW family.

Practice is over and it is very hot. The players leave the field and Im putting the balls in my truck after dragging the field. Three dirty faced little boys walk over to me and say. "Coach do you think we can take some more ground balls"? And then my son one of the three says "Yeah dad and then we can take some more bp". Im worn out. Tired , drained and more than ready to get inside to the ac and chill. But of course Im a coach. And a coach never turns down kids who want to work more to get better. We take tons of ground balls. They hit till its dark. And then we head home. I look behind me and they are asleep. All three of them. I see the dirt all over their faces and the gatorade stains on their lips. And then I say to myself "Thank God for kids that love the game". Years go by. They are best friends. So close like brothers. Pratt , Chris and my son Jeff. They play AAU Travel ball together and of course they all end up at my HS , South Granville in Creedmoor NC. Chris is a year ahead the product of having a "bad birthday". Man is this kid talented. He is the most naturally talented kid I have ever coached. He is a freshman and Jeff and Pratt are in the 8th grade one year away for playing for our HS. Practice ends for me and Chris. Two boys show up , dirty and sweaty from Middle School practice. Chris is standing there "Coach do you think we can take some ground balls and then take some bp"? Im worn out. Tired and exhausted. But of course I say yes. They take endless ground balls and flys. They hit untill we have to turn on the lights and they hit some more. Then we go home. The next year is Chris soph year. Now Jeff and Pratt are Freshman and they are finally reunited again on the same school team. Every practice never ends untill they are too tired to swing and throw. In the off season they are at the park. They had a dream. Chris is a sr last year. He has a bad home life. He moves in with me. He is my son. Pratt and Jeff are Jr's now. Chris tells me he knows he cant get in anywhere but JUCO , he has no grades. I call up a coach and get him in. He has a dream to get drafted. Jeff has a dream to go to UNC. Pratt has a dream to go to NC State. The draft comes. Chris is drafted. He leaves my house for low A with the Devil Rays. He has been awesome for his pro club. Jeff and Pratt still have their dream. Sunday Jeff verbals to UNC. And today Pratt verbals to NC State. They had a dream. They would not let those dreams die. They were willing to work and work and never give up. They have done it! I had a dream. The same dream. It started the day I looked in that backseat of my truck. I am so emotional about this. It is the happiest time of my life. I have been a part of three young mens lives. I have been able to witness a dream. And I have been able to see it come to life. I am the luckiest man in the world. And the proudest as well. Thank God for boys who love the game!
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rz1rz15,000+ posts
Hard work, dedication, and most of all support from heroes like yourself breeds and develops winners. If those kids never made it past their HS team they would be winners because it is not what you have taught them on the field, but what they learned from your heart and that is what carries on generation to generation and builds the youth of tomorrow. This is not only a kudo to you, but, any other adult that attempts to make a difference.

Nice job coach and good luck to your boys, they deserve it.

Sorry coach, I know your intent was not to toot your own horn but I will give credit where credit is due
Last edited by rz1
CPLZCPLZ1,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by JT:
Thanks for sharing...awesome story.


I had a friend, who had kids about a decade older than mine, tell me, "no matter what you're doing, if they want to play catch, drop everything and do it, you'll never regret it". It was sage advice and yours is another example of its truthfulness.
play baseballplay baseball1,000+ posts
One Hundred Years From Now

Author Unknown

One hundred years from now
It won't matter
What kind of car I drove
What kind of house I lived in
How much money I had in the bank
Nor what my cloths looked like.

BUT
The world may be a little better
Because, I was important
In the life of a child.



I have a feeling, Coach May, that you are very important in the life of many children.
God bless you.
Last edited by play baseball
H HitaHomer1100+ posts
Thanks for sharing, it made me cry. And you told it beautifully.

My son has always been the hardest working kid. Comes home at 11:00 after away games and hits off the tee. . .started off-season this week, even though no one els is starting for two more weeks. . .etc. I'm still praying that some fraction of his dreams will come true.

Tell the good Lord thank you, because it is a blessing almost a miracle when you think of the odds that everything came true for ALL three boys. (That or you are one heck of a good coach)
BBfamBBfam500+ posts
Coach May--Thank you so much for sharing that story. My 13yo has a dream too. I copied your story and took it to him today at school. After being misty eyed (and his friends wondering what on earth his mother gave him) he tucked it neatly away, I'm sure to remind him that dreams do come true.
Thanks again for sharing.
Last edited by BBfam
CM Coach May1,000+ posts
Thanks Guys. Ok Rob! I remember when I first started coaching at South Granville. Previously in our schools history 1964 - we had two guys drafted. We had one guy go on to play in the ACC. And only three or four ever go on to play D-1 baseball. We are a small growing community located between Raleigh and Durham. I can not tell you how many times I had parents tell me "No one ever comes and looks at our players". "You will never go anywhere from South Granville". "The coaches have never done anything for the kids at South Granville". Well this irked me bigtime. The fact was the kids had no idea what it took to play at that level. And if you wanted someone to come see you play you better learn to do the things in the off season that would make you the kind of player someone wanted to come see. The parents were as clueless as the players. Since we came to SG we have had two guys drafted. We have had several to go on and play D-1 and even more at the other levels. But this is really big for our program. To have the first player to ever play at NC State and UNC in the same class, WOW! To me its big for our program and our community. It shows all the kids in our town that if you work hard enough and take care of the classroom anything is possible , even at South Granville.
kevin11kevin11100+ posts
Sometimes kids and parents search high and low for positive role models, and all along they are right there throwing BP and hitting extra grounders. I know these 3 young men, and I expect they will be playing this game for a long time, but when it comes to an end, I suspect they will be right out on the field doing the same things you did, because they learned from one of the best.

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